tales of troy-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


and　capture　small　neighbouring　cities；　and　take　the　women　for
slaves；　and　drive　the　cattle。　　They　got　provisions　and　wine　from
the　Phoenicians；　who　came　in　ships；　and　made　much　profit　out　of　the
war。

It　was　not　till　the　tenth　year　that　the　war　began　in　real　earnest；
and　scarcely　any　of　the　chief　leaders　had　fallen。　　Fever　came　upon
the　Greeks；　and　all　day　the　camp　was　black　with　smoke；　and　all
night　shone　with　fire　from　the　great　piles　of　burning　wood；　on
which　the　Greeks　burned　their　dead；　whose　bones　they　then　buried
under　hillocks　of　earth。　　Many　of　these　hillocks　are　still　standing
on　the　plain　of　Troy。　　When　the　plague　had　raged　for　ten　days；
Achilles　called　an　assembly　of　the　whole　army；　to　try　to　find　out
why　the　Gods　were　angry。　　They　thought　that　the　beautiful　God
Apollo　（who　took　the　Trojan　side）　was　shooting　invisible　arrows　at
them　from　his　silver　bow；　though　fevers　in　armies　are　usually
caused　by　dirt　and　drinking　bad　water。　　The　great　heat　of　the　sun；
too；　may　have　helped　to　cause　the　disease；　but　we　must　tell　the
story　as　the　Greeks　told　it　themselves。　　So　Achilles　spoke　in　the
assembly；　and　proposed　to　ask　some　prophet　why　Apollo　was　angry。
The　chief　prophet　was　Calchas。　　He　rose　and　said　that　he　would
declare　the　truth　if　Achilles　would　promise　to　protect　him　from　the
anger　of　any　prince　whom　the　truth　might　offend。

Achilles　knew　well　whom　Calchas　meant。　　Ten　days　before；　a　priest
of　Apollo　had　come　to　the　camp　and　offered　ransom　for　his　daughter
Chryseis；　a　beautiful　girl；　whom　Achilles　had　taken　prisoner；　with
many　others；　when　he　captured　a　small　town。　　Chryseis　had　been
given　as　a　slave　to　Agamemnon；　who　always　got　the　best　of　the
plunder　because　he　was　chief　king；　whether　he　had　taken　part　in　the
fighting　or　not。　　As　a　rule　he　did　not。　　To　Achilles　had　been　given
another　girl；　Briseis；　of　whom　he　was　very　fond。　　Now　when　Achilles
had　promised　to　protect　Calchas；　the　prophet　spoke　out；　and　boldly
said；　what　all　men　knew　already；　that　Apollo　caused　the　plague
because　Agamemnon　would　not　return　Chryseis；　and　had　insulted　her
father；　the　priest　of　the　God。

On　hearing　this；　Agamemnon　was　very　angry。　　He　said　that　he　would
send　Chryseis　home；　but　that　he　would　take　Briseis　away　from
Achilles。　　Then　Achilles　was　drawing　his　great　sword　from　the
sheath　to　kill　Agamemnon；　but　even　in　his　anger　he　knew　that　this
was　wrong；　so　he　merely　called　Agamemnon　a　greedy　coward；　〃with
face　of　dog　and　heart　of　deer；〃　and　he　swore　that　he　and　his　men
would　fight　no　more　against　the　Trojans。　　Old　Nestor　tried　to　make
peace；　and　swords　were　not　drawn；　but　Briseis　was　taken　away　from
Achilles；　and　Ulysses　put　Chryseis　on　board　of　his　ship　and　sailed
away　with　her　to　her　father's　town；　and　gave　her　up　to　her　father。
Then　her　father　prayed　to　Apollo　that　the　plague　might　cease；　and
it　did　ceasewhen　the　Greeks　had　cleansed　their　camp；　and　purified
themselves　and　cast　their　filth　into　the　sea。

We　know　how　fierce　and　brave　Achilles　was；　and　we　may　wonder　that
he　did　not　challenge　Agamemnon　to　fight　a　duel。　　But　the　Greeks
never　fought　duels；　and　Agamemnon　was　believed　to　be　chief　king　by
right　divine。　　Achilles　went　alone　to　the　sea　shore　when　his　dear
Briseis　was　led　away；　and　he　wept；　and　called　to　his　mother；　the
silver…footed　lady　of　the　waters。　　Then　she　arose　from　the　grey
sea；　like　a　mist；　and　sat　down　beside　her　son；　and　stroked　his　hair
with　her　hand；　and　he　told　her　all　his　sorrows。　　So　she　said　that
she　would　go　up　to　the　dwelling　of　the　Gods；　and　pray　Zeus；　the
chief　of　them　all；　to　make　the　Trojans　win　a　great　battle；　so　that
Agamemnon　should　feel　his　need　of　Achilles；　and　make　amends　for　his
insolence；　and　do　him　honour。

Thetis　kept　her　promise；　and　Zeus　gave　his　word　that　the　Trojans
should　defeat　the　Greeks。　　That　night　Zeus　sent　a　deceitful　dream
to　Agamemnon。　　The　dream　took　the　shape　of　old　Nestor；　and　said
that　Zeus　would　give　him　victory　that　day。　　While　he　was　still
asleep；　Agamemnon　was　fun　of　hope　that　he　would　instantly　take
Troy；　but；　when　he　woke；　he　seems　not　to　have　been　nearly　so
confident；　for　in　place　of　putting　on　his　armour；　and　bidding　the
Greeks　arm　themselves；　he　merely　dressed　in　his　robe　and　mantle；
took　his　sceptre；　and　went　and　told　the　chiefs　about　his　dream。
They　did　not　feel　much　encouraged；　so　he　said　that　he　would　try　the
temper　of　the　army。　　He　would　call　them　together；　and　propose　to
return　to　Greece；　but；　if　the　soldiers　took　him　at　his　word；　the
other　chiefs　were　to　stop　them。　　This　was　a　foolish　plan；　for　the
soldiers　were　wearying　for　beautiful　Greece；　and　their　homes；　and
wives　and　children。　　Therefore；　when　Agamemnon　did　as　he　had　said；
the　whole　army　rose；　like　the　sea　under　the　west　wind；　and；　with　a
shout；　they　rushed　to　the　ships；　while　the　dust　blew　in　clouds　from
under　their　feet。　　Then　they　began　to　launch　their　ships；　and　it
seems　that　the　princes　were　carried　away　in　the　rush；　and　were　as
eager　as　the　rest　to　go　home。

But　Ulysses　only　stood　in　sorrow　and　anger　beside　his　ship；　and
never　put　hand　to　it；　for　he　felt　how　disgraceful　it　was　to　run
away。　　At　last　he　threw　down　his　mantle；　which　his　herald　Eurybates
of　Ithaca；　a　round…shouldered；　brown；　curly…haired　man；　picked　up；
and　he　ran　to　find　Agamemnon；　and　took　his　sceptre；　a　gold…studded
staff；　like　a　marshal's　baton；　and　he　gently　told　the　chiefs　whom
he　met　that　they　were　doing　a　shameful　thing；　but　he　drove　the
common　soldiers　back　to　the　place　of　meeting　with　the　sceptre。
They　all　returned；　puzzled　and　chattering；　but　one　lame；　bandy…
legged；　bald；　round…shouldered；　impudent　fellow；　named　Thersites；
jumped　up　and　made　an　insolent　speech；　insulting　the　princes；　and
advising　the　army　to　run　away。　　Then　Ulysses　took　him　and　beat　him
till　the　blood　came；　and　he　sat　down；　wiping　away　his　tears；　and
looking　so　foolish　that　the　whole　army　laughed　at　him；　and　cheered
Ulysses　when　he　and　Nestor　bade　them　arm　and　fight。　　Agamemnon
still　believed　a　good　deal　in　his　dream；　and　prayed　that　he　might
take　Troy　that　very　day；　and　kill　Hector。　　Thus　Ulysses　alone　saved
the　army　from　a　cowardly　retreat；　but　for　him　the　ships　would　have
been　launched　in　an　hour。　　But　the　Greeks　armed　and　advanced　in
full　force；　all　except　Achilles　and　his　friend　Patroclus　with　their
two　or　three　thousand　men。　　The　Trojans　also　took　heart；　knowing
that　Achilles　would　not　fight；　and　the　armies　approached　each
other。　　Paris　himself；　with　two　spears　and　a　bow；　and　without
armour；　walked　into　the　space　between　the　hosts；　and　challenged　any
Greek　prince　to　single　combat。　　Menelaus；　whose　wife　Paris　had
carried　away；　was　as　glad　as　a　hungry　lion　when　he　finds　a　stag　or
a　goat；　and　leaped　in　armour　from　his　chariot；　but　Paris　turned　and
slunk　away；　like　a　man　when　he　meets　a　great　serpent　on　a　narrow
path　in　the　hills。　　Then　Hector　rebuked　Paris　for　his　cowardice；
and　Paris　was　ashamed　and　offered　to　end　the　war　by　fighting
Menelaus。　　If　he　himself　fell；　the　Trojans　must　give　up　Helen　and
all　her　jewels；　if　Menelaus　fell；　the　Greeks　were　to　return　without
fair　Helen。　　The　Greeks　accepted　this　plan；　and　both　sides　disarmed
themselves　to　look　on　at　the　fight　in　comfort；　and　they　meant　to
take　the　most　solemn　oaths　to　keep　peace　till　the　combat　was　lost
and　won；　and　the　quarrel　settled。　　Hector　sent　into　Troy　for　two
lambs；　which　were　to　be　sacrificed　when　the　oaths　were　taken。

In　the　meantime　Helen　of　the　fair　hands　was　at　home　working　at　a
great　purple　tapestry　on　which　she　embroidered　the　battles　of　the
Greeks　and　Trojans。　　It　was　just　like　the　tapestry　at　Bayeux　on
which　Norman　ladies　embroidered　the　battles　in　the　Norman　Conquest
of　England。　　Helen　was　very　fond　of　embroidering；　like　poor　Mary；
Queen　of　Scots；　when　a　prisoner　in　Loch　Leven　Castle。　　Probably　the
work　kept　both　Helen　and　Mary　from　thinking　of　their　past　lives　and
their　sorrows。

When　Helen　heard　that　her　husband　was　to　fight　Paris；　she　wept；　and
threw　a　shining　veil　over　her　head；　and　with　her　two　bower　maidens
went　to　the　roof　of　the　gate　tower；　where　king　Priam　was　sitting
with　the　old　Trojan　chiefs。　　They　saw　her　and　said　that　it　was
small　blame　to　fight　for　so　beautiful　a　lady；　and　Priam　called　her
〃dear　child；〃　and　said；　〃I　do　not　blame　you；　I　blame　the　Gods　who
brought　about　this　war。〃　　But　Helen　said　that　she　wished　she　had
died　before　she　left　her　little　daughter　and　her　husband；　and　her
home：　　〃Alas！　shameless　me！〃　　Then　she　told　Priam　the　names　of　the
chief　Greek　warriors；　and　of　Ulysses；　who　was　shorter　by　a　head
than　Agamemnon；　but　broader　in　chest　and　shoulders。　　She　wondered
that　she　could　not　see　her　own　two　brothers；　Castor　and　Polydeuces；
and　thought　that　they　kept　aloof　in　shame　for　her　sin；　but　the
green　grass　covered　their　graves；　for　they　had　both　died　in　battle；
far　away　in　Lacedaemon；　their　own　country。

Then　the　lambs　were　sacrificed；　and　the　oaths　were　taken；　and　Paris
put　on　his　brother's　armour；　helmet；　breastplate；　shield；　and　leg…
armour。　　Lots　were　drawn　to　decide　whether　Paris　or　Menelaus　should
throw　his　spear　first；　and；　as　Paris　won；　he　threw　his　spear；　but
the　point　was　blunted　against　the　shield　of　Menelaus。　　But　when
Menelaus　threw　his　spear　it　went　clean　through　the　shield　of　Paris；
and　through　the　side　of　his　breastplate；　but　only　grazed　his　robe。
Menelaus　drew　his　sword；　and　rushed　in；　and　smote　at　the　crest　of
the　helmet　of　Paris；　but　his　bronze　blade　broke　into　four　pieces。
Menelaus　caught　Paris　by　the　horsehair　crest　of　his　helmet；　and
dragged　him　towards　the　Greeks；　but　the　chin…strap　broke；　and
Menelaus　turning　round　threw　the　helmet　into　the　ranks　of　the
Greeks。　　But　when　Menelaus　looked　again　for　Paris；　with　a　spear　in
his　hand；　he　could　see　him　nowhere！　　The　Greeks　believed　that　the
beautiful　goddess　Aphrodite；　whom　the　Romans　called　Venus；　hid　him
in　a　thick　cloud　of　darkness　and　carried　him　to　his　own　house；
where　Helen　of　the　fair　hands　found　him　and　said　to　him；　〃Would
that　thou　hadst　perished；　conquered　by　that　great　warrior　who　was
my　lord！　　Go　forth　again　and　challenge　him　to　fight　thee　face　to
face。〃　　But　Paris　had　no　more　desire　to　fight；　and　the　Goddess
threatened　Helen；　and　com